The present invention relates to a data network and more particularly to a data network which can effect bidirectional wireless data communications between a microcomputer unit and a plurality of peripheral units, all of which are adapted to be carried on the person of the user.
The size and power consumption of digital electronic devices has been progressively reduced so that personal computers have evolved from lap tops through so-called notebooks, into hand held or belt carriable devices commonly referred to as personal digital assistants (PDAs). One area which has remained troublesome however, is the coupling of peripheral devices or accessories to the main processing unit. With rare exception, such coupling has typically been provided by means of connecting cables which place such restrictions on the handling of the units that many of the advantages of small size and light weight are lost.
While it has been proposed to link a keyboard or a mouse to a main processing unit using infrared or radio frequency (RF) communications, such systems have been typically limited to a single peripheral unit with a dedicated channel of low capacity.
Among the several objects of the present invention may be noted the provision of a novel data network which will provide wireless communication between a host or server microcomputer unit and a plurality of peripheral units; the provision of a data network which provides highly reliable bidirectional data communication between the peripheral units and the server; the provision of such a data network which requires extremely low power consumption, particularly for the peripheral units; the provision of such a network system which avoids interference from nearby similar systems; and the provision of such a data network system which is highly reliable and which is of relatively simple and inexpensive construction. Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.